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Hollywood blockbusters such as Contagion and John Wick 3 are being used by hackers to smuggle bugs on to Microsoft Windows 10.

Attackers are using popular movies to hide malware that an unsuspecting user ends up downloading.

Most are hidden in torrents, which are used to download large content files, such as films or music.

However, torrenting can be used to obtain pirate content, so users are advised to check on its legality before accessing it.

The warning comes from Microsoft's Security Intelligence team, which posted a message on social media telling Windows users to be aware of a new threat arriving via torrent downloads, reports ExpressOnline.

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Typical attacks begin with criminals disguising a malicious file in the same .zip folder that includes a movie torrent.

When an unsuspecting victim happens to open the .zip file saved from a piracy site, they also trigger a malicious text file. This then sets about trying to infect dangerous code into the machine’s memory.

There has been a rise in the number of people trying to find ways to keep entertained during lockdown - including watching content online without paying for a subscription.

However, Microsoft is warning people to be wary of downloading files from unofficial websites.

According to the alert from Microsoft posted on Twitter, there's been a rise in attacks using certain streaming services with Windows 10 users placing themselves at risk by downloading files in this way.

The post states: "With lockdown still in place in many parts of the world, attackers are paying attention to the increase in use of pirate streaming services and torrent downloads."

Cyber crooks are trying to cash in during the current crisis and torrents sites as are an easy target.

Tanmay Ganacharya, director of security research of Microsoft Threat Protection told Cyberscoop : “Lots of people are stuck at home looking to fill time, and not everyone is going to watch only what’s available through [streaming] services.

"Attackers use some popular movies as lures. And then they ensure that their malicious payload is part of the overall packages that a user ends up downloading."

Users are advised to make sure anti-virus software is updated before attempting to download any material.